Image number 32 of the current section of People and talent are at the core of Cosentino’s business model of Cosentino USA

People and talent are at the core of Cosentino’s business model

Paco Robles, VP Global People gives us the keys to attracting and retaining top talent in an ever-changing corporate landscape.

Attracting and retaining top talent is key to Cosentino’s success, as well as creating a dynamic work environment where employees can thrive and grow. Hear from Paco Robles, VP Global People, on how exactly Cosentino is doing this while adapting to an evolving corporate landscape.

Tell us about your role as VP Global People at Cosentino.

The Global People role was created two years ago, redefining Cosentino’s People (human resources) operating model by understanding what the company needs from the department. We support the business model and guarantee productivity in our plants by thinking globally and acting locally. We aspire to become strategic partners and agents of change in each area of the company without compromising our operational and administrative reliability. To this end, we organized the global team into three areas: Global Business Services, Global Centres of Excellence and People Leaders.

Image number 33 of the current section of People and talent are at the core of Cosentino’s business model of Cosentino USA

What does talent attraction and retention represent for Cosentino?

Attraction is chapter one of the book – key in a company’s People strategy.  We recently released our Talent Acquisition Playbook which outlines ten changes and improvements in our operational model. Firstly, the Playbook aims to improve our employee experience even before they join Cosentino; their feelings and experience as candidates will determine their early experience as employees. Secondly, we seek to improve the Hiring Managers’ experience, as they are the key pillar when it comes to the Talent Acquisition process. We are building a more robust, agile, and digital process that will help us make better decisions in a shorter time. Finally, it will strengthen our employer brand which will, in turn, attract top talent.

Talent retention is a consequence of everything we do as a company. The impact of turnover on a company entails multiple factors: higher labor costs, loss of customers, impact on team morale, and more. Attrition costs, which are not easily quantifiable, can be very significant. The responsibility for managing turnover does not lie exclusively with People; through their daily work, managers can avoid undesired exits and work on desired departures to minimize the possible economic and personal impact on the employee. We must build a culture of continuous feedback while accelerating the provision of management and leadership tools to middle managers.

Image number 34 of the current section of People and talent are at the core of Cosentino’s business model of Cosentino USA

Can you share a bit about the Designer Sales Manager (DSM) role at Cosentino and the impact it will have on the business?

If you walk around large cities around the world you can see how interior design has taken over the streets. Shop windows of studios offering design services all over the place!  And those interior designers are getting more and more sophisticated. The outbreak of COVID has given another boost to the interest in interior design education, both as a hobby and as a profession. And, of course, it has increased home renovations.

The introduction of the Designer Sales Manager role is one of the most exciting changes that I have seen since I joined Cosentino. Undoubtedly, the diversification strategy is transforming Cosentino and in such a journey, DSMs play a key role – sustainability and digitalization are more than buzz words to create short and long-term sales plans and to establish Cosentino products as the first choice of interior design firms.

What are some trends you see in the world of talent management?

With the world rapidly evolving, we’re seeing many trends in the world of talent management. Let me share some with you:

  • Hybrid work is driving business transformation across the world.
  • Rising turnover is increasing competition for talent. Attrition is out of control in certain markets/industries, which makes it quite complicated for companies to manage their operations.
  • Building critical skills and competencies. It is becoming a top priority, and those needed skills and competencies are not easy to predict.
  • Building a bench. Oftentimes, mid-level managers are not always equipped with management/leadership skills to make their teams shine
  • The need to build a solid Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy that meaningfully impacts behaviors
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How has COVID impacted the way we work? Where do you see things going?

We have to get used to new ways of working, which are here to stay, especially in our corporate centers and sales teams. The debate between working on site and working remotely is not an “OR”; it is an “AND”, and more importantly: it is a “HOW”. The easy part is defining how many days we work remotely and how many we work in the office. The cultural and leadership style change associated with hybrid models is more complex. 

People are Cosentino's most valuable asset, and under Paco's leadership, we are continuing to foster and propel our team of experts.